Dan Buchanan founded Pathian Inc., which helps clients such as hospitals and schools save energy by changing consumption and equipment usage.

Written by

Jeff Wallner
Enquirer contributor

Dan Buchanan, president of Pathian Inc., was certain his firm could reduce energy costs for its clients with a data-driven approach to optimizing heating and cooling systems. What he couldn't do was provide quantitative proof.

So Buchanan, a control system engineer by trade, worked 18-hour days for about two months to develop Pathian Analysis, a program to help clients such as hospitals and schools change usage behaviors and improve the efficiency and extend the life of machinery.

"I developed Pathian Analysis out of necessity," Buchanan said. "It's funny how things work out sometimes. ...